E3 2017: Why The Nintendo Switch Online Service Was Delayed

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has talked about the Nintendo Switch Online service, and the reasons behind the decision to push it back to 2018.

“As Nintendo looks at the overall online digital experience there’s a recognition that there’s a lot of work to be world class,” Fils-Aime explained to Polygon.

“And we pride ourselves… we believe our IP is world class. We believe that when we create a piece of hardware it’s world class. We need to get our digital environment world class. And that’s what we’re working hard to do.”

He added that there are features that Nintendo is prioritising that they know consumers expect – such as voice chat, but entertainment services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, that Fils-Aime “recognises are important for a device you can take with you.”

“As we were proceeding along development, there were things we wanted to do with Nintendo Switch online that extended the development time,” he added.

“When you look at the products [from Nintendo] that have been delayed, typically it’s worth the wait. Breath of the Wild is a great example.”

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